The Legacy Series: Leadership Lessons That Endure

In 1945, engineer Percy Spencer was working at Raytheon testing radar equipment when something strange happened. He felt heat in his pocket—and discovered that the chocolate bar he’d been carrying had melted.

Most people would’ve been annoyed. Percy was curious. Percy didn’t hide the accident or throw away the gooey mess. Instead, he laughed, told his coworkers, and started experimenting. He placed popcorn kernels near the magnetron—and they popped. Next came an egg, which exploded all over the lab. Instead of getting scolded, his team roared with laughter.

Within months, that “failed” radar test turned into one of the most revolutionary inventions of the 20th century: the microwave oven.

What made that discovery possible wasn’t just luck—it was a culture of psychological safety. Spencer worked in an environment where curiosity was rewarded, mistakes were shared openly, and no one feared being laughed at. They laughed together.

The Leadership Lesson

Innovation doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from permission. When people feel safe to speak up, test ideas, and even fail publicly, creativity thrives. But when people fear embarrassment or punishment, they stop experimenting. They stop thinking.

Psychological safety isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of every breakthrough. Percy Spencer’s genius wasn’t just his technical skill; it was his willingness to explore an accident and his freedom to admit, “I don’t know why that happened… but let’s find out.”

That’s what great teams do: they turn mistakes into momentum.

My Perspective: Trust Is the Lift That Keeps Teams Flying

In my experience building companies, I’ve learned that the best ideas rarely come from the top—they come from the frontlines. But those ideas only surface when people feel safe to think, test, try, fail… and succeed.

My personal mantra is simple: be brave, do good, and keep going.

It’s the same mindset I ask of every employee. Be your own leader. When something goes wrong, we don’t ask, “Who did this?” We ask, “What can we learn?” and “How do we get better?” That shift turns fear into focus and transforms blame into curiosity. Sometimes the answer is simple. Other times, it takes creativity and collaboration.

Years ago, I ran a company that managed a global network with tens of thousands of computers. From time to time, operating systems or software would become corrupted, and each PC had to be repaired individually—a process that could take hours, days, or even weeks. The backlog was endless.

Instead of accepting the frustration, our IT manager, software developer, and a single customer service representative came together to rethink the problem. They designed a system that could completely rebuild a PC—from the operating system to every application—in just fifteen minutes. No troubleshooting, no waiting, just a clean, automated rebuild.

That single act of innovation changed the company overnight. Costs evaporated. Performance and reliability skyrocketed. The single change resulted in our brand being recognized as the leader in performance and reliability.

And that’s when businesses truly transcend: when people feel trusted to think beyond the obvious, to build, to experiment, and to own the outcome. When they have the faith, freedom, and encouragement to invent, the results will always surprise you—in the best way.

How to Apply It in Your Business

1. Celebrate Curiosity.

When someone spots a weird result or unusual outcome, dig in with them. Ask “What do you think caused that?” instead of “Who messed up?”

2. Create No-Blame Problem Solving.

Hold short “what did we learn?” meetings after projects or mistakes. Focus on discovery, not discipline.

3. Lead with Vulnerability.

Be open about your own learning moments. Teams mirror the leader’s tone. When you share openly, they do too.

4. Reward Honesty Over Perfection.

Recognize employees who surface problems early or share bad news quickly. That’s real leadership in action.

Why It Works

According to Harvard Business Review, teams with high psychological safety are 75% more likely to innovate⁴.

Google’s Project Aristotle found that trust and openness were the #1 predictor of team success, above skill or experience⁵.

And as Brené Brown writes in Dare to Lead, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, innovation, and change.”⁶

Even Percy Spencer’s accidental discovery reinforces that principle: great ideas don’t come from playing it safe—they come from being safe enough to play.

Final Thought

A melted candy bar, an exploding egg, and an open mind changed the world.

If Percy Spencer had feared looking foolish or breaking a rule, we might still be reheating leftovers on a stove. His curiosity—and his company’s culture of trust—proved that when people feel safe, they think differently.

As a leader, your job isn’t to prevent mistakes—it’s to make it safe to talk about them. Because in the right environment, even a sweet mistake can spark a billion-dollar idea.

Be the Leader Who Lifts Others Higher

Great leadership isn’t just about vision—it’s about taking care of people. The most successful companies don’t just hire talent; they invest in their teams’ well-being.

Studies show that:

• Companies with strong benefits programs see 56% lower turnover and 50% higher engagement (Gallup).

• Organizations that prioritize employee well-being experience 21% greater profitability and 17% higher productivity (Harvard Business Review).

• Employees who feel valued and supported are 4x more likely to recommend their company as a great place to work (SHRM).

That’s the power of care—it fuels loyalty, focus, and a culture people are proud to be part of.

At Benefit Airship, we believe every business deserves that advantage. We built the only employee benefits program that costs employers $0—yet delivers medical, dental, vision, mental health, and prescription benefits to every worker: full-time, part-time, or contract.

Our mission is simple: Help businesses grow by helping people thrive. Because great leaders don’t just build companies—they build communities. And when your people rise, your business soars.

Sources

⁴ Harvard Business Review – The Power of Psychological Safety

⁵ Google re:Work Study – What Makes a Team Effective

⁶ Brené Brown – Dare to Lead

⁷ Smithsonian Magazine – The Accidental Invention of the Microwave Oven